ACW #622 – Green Lantern

Action Comics Weekly #622 (Green Lantern)
“The Edge of Forever”
Writer – James Owsley
Pencils – Mark Bright
Inks – Jose Marzan, Jr.
Letters – Albert DeGuzman
Colors – Tony Tollin
Assistant Editor – Dan Raspler
Editor – Denny O’Neil

Well gang, we’ve reached the top of the mountain… and it’s all smooth downhill sailing from here!  That’s right, we’re officially in the second-half of the #ActionComicsDaily Endeavor.  This project has somehow both flown… and dragged by!


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We pick up right where we left off last week… Hal is knelt before his ‘sploded power battery.  I mean, it could be worse, right?  Oh well.  I suppose we need to keep in mind for now that, Hal’s the last Lantern left… so, this battery malfunction might just signify the end of the Green Lantern Corps and concept altogether!  Before he can dwell all that long, however, the Gremlins pop their heads in to find out just what went “boom”.  Hal comes up with a very smooth line about all of the green shards being pieces of a clock.  Thankfully, they buy the lie… they just assume it was a very special clock, considering the amount of damage that had been done in the locker room.

Hal takes his leave… and takes to the skies.  Ya see, he’s trying to find that yellow beam that shot out of the Lantern at the end of the last chapter.  Unfortunately, it looks like it went past the borders of his Space Sector.  Without the Central Power Battery to “interface” with his ring, he might be completely lost and powerless once he crosses into another Sector.  He thinks on it a bit, and realizes that this might just be a job for… Superman!

Only… the last time he and Superman got together, it was a less than pleasant experience.  Ya see, Superman isn’t pleased that John Stewart’s recent antics have lead to a handful of casualties.  This is in reference to the events of Green Lantern Special #1 (which we will be getting to when I have a bit more time).  Anyhoo, Superman basically tells him to keep his house clean.

Or, as Hal’s mind continues to wander, was it a bit more stern a warning than that?  His next recounting of the exchange more or less has Superman calling him a loser.

But, was that really as bad as it got?  Hmm… Hal continues mulling over the event, and concludes that Superman was rather a jerk to him.  If only we had some cute internetty word to describe the times Superman acts like a jerk… wouldn’t that be so funny… for like, 5 seconds?  Anyhoo, this time out Superman demands Hal “know his role”, and from this point on, only use his Power Ring as a means to contact him.

Clearly, Hal is kinda getting lost in his own head here.  Either way, he shakes it off, and decides to venture into the great unknown himself.  With one last recital of the Oath, he enters into the next Sector, certain that this is either a new beginning… or a very final end.

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This is one of those chapters from the Green Lantern feature that I’ve always remembered somewhat fondly… and it’s all due to Hal’s angsty memory of his last conversation with Superman.  First: It’s just a great peek into Hal’s psyche, with all of his insecurities on display, and Second: It’s refreshing for Superman to actually be part of something interesting during an issue of Action Comics Weekly!


I wish I had the time to cover the Green Lantern Special right now, as it gives that scene the context it needs.  We’ll get to it… but, if you want the details, Reggie and I did cover it during Part Two of our Hal Jordan’s Action Comics series of Cosmic Treadmill episodes… available in the archives!  … and, uh… right here!

I really enjoyed this chapter… so much stuff “in the air” here.  So many bits of Lantern Lore that don’t get much play… like the concept that the abilities of the Ring were completely beholden to the Central Power Battery.  At this point, Hal’s not sure his Ring will even work one Sector over!  This isn’t something post-Green Lantern: Rebirth Hal would worry about one bit… and, that’s kind of a shame.


Overall, a great little chapter… and M.D. Bright continues to knock it out of the park with his art!


Tomorrow: The Final Fate of… Wild Pup!